1996 Dodge Caravan Reviews - Page 2 of 12

1996 Dodge Caravan Sport V6 from North America

Summary:

Looks good, but made from cheap parts

Faults:

Clear coat failed on candy-apple red; $1000 extra charge for this paint job, but it all peeled on the roof and hood. Dodge will not respond despite visits to dealers in 1968-68-70, etc. It began to peel in 1968 and now looks awful.

19th Sep 2005, 22:21

1996 Dodge Caravan Sport... Cheap Parts? Only in design by Dodge. Headlight housings are plastic that become opaque over time and poor lighting of the highway. Another problem is the plastic brackets that hold the housing in place break, and the entire assembly will fall out. This same headlight assembly is poorly made with the adjustment screws for the headlight alignment. They routinely break and fail to operate at all when the headlights need to be adjusted. Replacement of the plastic housing to hold the headlights range from $92 to $184 for this piece of poor quality plastic. I see this as a common problem of many I have work on or helped to restore. In most cases they are a waste of money when purchased new, and foolish to invest into as a restoration project.

1996 Dodge Caravan from North America

Summary:

I would buy this vehicle again

Faults:

The timing belt went out at 80,000 on a road trip, but it was non-interference so it was okay. The radiator needed replacing at 99,000. The water pump went out at 115,000. The automatic door lock motor is iffy and has been that way since it hit 95,000 miles. The clock spring went out at 100,000 but this was replaced due to recall from Dodge. Make sure you get your clock spring replaced for free if you have any of the following symptoms: airbag light stays on and/or cruise control goes out.

General Comments:

Overall, this has been a reliable vehicle. Many road trips were had in her and she performed well. Full size spare is a plus and the removable seats were helpful. I added an after market roof rack that really helped with cargo space. If you change the oil regularly and have it checked out every once in a while, this car is a good one. Great for families or light cargo.

13th Dec 2010, 14:06

I am the owner of this post, I sold the vehicle in 2007 with 159,000 miles on it. This was a solid car for me and my family. I upgraded to a Chrysler Town and Country. You would be better off paying more and getting the Honda Odyssey or Toyota Sienna. Maybe even a Nissan Quest, rather than a Chrysler. However, the Caravan I had was a winner.

30th May 2012, 17:43

Non-interference, you say? Could you please tell me what engine this was? I have a 1996 Caravan, and although I just replaced the timing belt a couple days ago, I keep getting mixed messages; some sites say it is non-interference, and some say it is interference. I'd really like to know if you have the same engine as me. Thank you!